Russia rearms Syrian government

(Latakia) The civil war, come rebellion, come religious take over, come bun fight inside Syria has been going on for a few years. The Syrian government, like most Arabic nations, had a huge stockpile of weapons when this all kicked off, but attrition has seen those stocks drop down. However, the Assad regime doesn't have to worry about replenishing its armoury, as the Russians, just like they did in 1973, have no problem in rearming their only client state in the Middle East. Which is why the other day the Russian landing ship Nikolay Filchenkov was seen loaded for bear traversing the Bosphorus.

Unlike its previous sojourns, where the top deck has been clear, this time, the Russians had parked a number of vehicles, primarily trucks, but also under canvas a number of BTR-82As. Now, as the Alligator-class landing ship can carry 20 tanks or 40 APCs below decks, it makes you wonder just what the ship was carrying. Anyway, it appears that previous weapons shipments to Syria have been put to immediate use as the rebels decided to launch an attack on the government (and Russian) stronghold of Latakia (the home area of the Assad dynasty).

Well, film clips have been released of the Government fightback, including coverage of the BTR-82A, a further development of the BTR-80 but sporting additional protection from landmines and small arms fire. But while its ability to withstand anti-armour missiles will no doubt be very weak, its 30mm cannon, which has been mated with a TKN-4GA day/night fire control system, will come in very handy for suppressive fire, as the video shows.

Young Jewish philanthropist saves 128 girls from ISIS

Interview With Moroccan Jew Who Rescued 128 Girls Enslaved by ISIS.

(Morocco World News) Steve Maman has rescued more than 100 children from danger in Iraq in the past few months with the support of Canon Andrew White, a world-renowned humanitarian figure. In order to grow support for his mission, he registered on June 26, in Canada “The liberation of Christian and Yazidi children of Iraq (CYCI)” organization. “We can act now or we can remain spectators,” announced its President, Steven Mamn, a Moroccan-Canadian. “Take part in this humanitarian cause: Donate & Share!” he asks.

Could you tell us about your foundation in few words and the choice of Yazidis and Christians?

Steve Maman: On June 26, 2015 I created a nonprofit organization called “The liberation of Christian and Yazidi children of Iraq (CYCI)” to support my mission.  Its goal is to negotiate the liberation of children held hostage and used a sex slaves in Mosul. We chose Christians and Yazidi because they are the ones held hostage after a fatwa authorized them to be used and sold as sex slaves for the benefit of ISIS (Daesh) combatants. I would have definitely added the Muslim children to my mission if they were part of this horror.

Does your foundation have other objectives?

Steve Maman: Our unique objective is to liberate as many children as possible. The project has been going on for 8 months now, and the role of this organization is to provide us, in our work, with donations. Until now, I had carried the project on my own and have moved multiple families out of harm’s way.

What made you come up with the idea for this project?

Steve Maman: Well, I as a Moroccan Jew, I found this cause to engage in a true world responsibility. The Torah talks about two things: “Tikkun Olam,” repairing the world, and “Kiddouch Hashem,” to make God’s presence respected.  As a Jew, it was a way to make this world better through actions of goodness and kindness. The goal here is for children to come out alive from this horrible war.

There is no question of religion, race, or nationality being discussed here. There are innocent children that are powerless, caught in the crossfire. But worse, they are being exploited in the crossfire, as if that alone were not enough pain to endure. The exploitations are beyond understanding.  Children beheaded, raped, beat, underfed, left to live in cages!  Why? Because they are Christian or Yazidi, and therefore this does not constitute a sin in the eyes of Islamic law in the way ISIS interprets it.  This is not Islam. I refuse to accept, as a Jew, that this is Islam. This is a deformation, a distortion of Islam. This has to be decried and it has to be fixed. The fixing starts with giving them a chance at life.

I need support. One year has gone by and it has been long enough for world leaders to react and plan a solution, yet we see little being done for those left behind at the mercy of ISIS.

The heroic Government of Canada, with its Prime Minister Stephen Harper,who has gone to Iraq and pledged nearly 140 million dollars in aid to the humanitarian cause, as well as sending Canadian troops, is sending a message to the world. I wish to see more world leaders unite forces in order to find a solution to end this.

May god bless my mission with world leaders being aware of what I do and of what can be done. My mission is centered on the ones who are held hostage. I refer tothe ones kept in cages being hurt, abused molested and raped. The ones I truly wish to help are praying to God after every rape that he ends their pain and humiliation. It is reported they wish they be killed rather than live with such a fate.

God give them the strength to hold on to life for a bit longer until I get to them, God willing.

How much is the amount you have collected until now?

Steve Maman: This is a question that I cannot answer and won’t disclose. But things are moving very well. Jews have been incredibly supportive of the mission, the majority being Moroccan Jews.

How long do you expect this project to last?

Steve Maman: One year maximum is my estimate. I figured that Mosul will be taken back and carnage will befall these children if they are not freed prior.

Does it have supporters and other funders? If so, who are they?

Steve Maman: Yes, until now, I have been funding the project myself. I founded CYCI in order to raise funds.  Jews can relate to this cause,since they lived a similar fate during the Holocaust at the hands of the Nazis. They can relate to what it is to be saved and liberated, therefore granted freedom. I cite Oskar Schindler or Sir Winton as examples. They inspired me to act and do what I am currently doing, but I am definitely a long way from attaining their results.

Which means of communication did you use to approach donors?

Steve Maman: We use Facebook to create awareness.

Are there well known personalities (in Morocco, perhaps) who support this project?

Steve Maman: From Morocco, nothing yet, but God willing my country shall surprise me.

The most important aid I currently have is Canon Andrew White. He is a world-respected humanitarian figure, with many world leaders openly supporting his foundation that assists refugees and the persecuted.

How did you get in touch with him?

Steve Maman: I met Canon Andrew White through Facebook. We became very close. He actually travelled to Montreal and stayed with us. We planned this mission. I was already involved with him 8 months ago when I saved two complete families and moved them to Ankara,amongst numerous other missions. I am currently renting them a house and providingfor all their needs in Ankara. Canon White admired my actions, as he knew the family well. This strengthened our bond.

How did Canon Andrew White help in your work?

Steve Maman: He is instrumental to my success. He has a platform in Kurdistan and in Jordan with camps for handling the children I liberate.

Have you made concrete achievements together?

Steve Maman: Together we have saved more than 102 children so far, and it increases every day. Canon Andrew White has nothing to do with the liberation aspect. He handles and provides support after they are liberated.

Do you have any facilities for rescuing children? Do you make any negotiations there?

Steve Maman: I will explain it this way: I have, on the ground in Iraq, someone I call a brother. He is an Iraqi Christian. He is my hero. He is a young soldier, decorated by the US army and by the Iraqi Government. He is connected to every possible figure inIraq (Sunni, Shiite and Kurd, as well as all factions).

There are some people that seek means to make money around this war. I exploit that to my advantage. Tribal leaders are very helpful.

We never meet ISIS. We never negotiate with ISIS.

For the first time a Canadian Sephardic delegation was formed to be given, as Radio Shalom journalist Charles Lugassy says, its “title of nobility”. In what context was your meeting with the government and its leader organized? For what reason did you meet the Prime Minister? Do you have concrete political support?

Steve Maman: Well, the agenda of the day was specifically to honor Sephardic Jews that are influential.

The delegation was made up of people that make a difference in our world, by Sephardic Jews of all origins. I was chosen for my involvement in this project and mission. It was part of a group of 27 people from Canada.

I met the politicians in a context where the first delegation of Sephardic Jews was invited to Ottawa in a historical context (Purim day). We were greeted witha lunch, a tour, and exchanges with ministers while the Prime Minister was reserved for a select 7 people.

Has the constitution of this delegation been helpful for example in the fight you lead to rescue child victims of ISIS?

Steve Maman: Not at all. There was no relation with the agenda of that day.

You give in your video on YouTube the example of the Jordanian pilot. What was its impact on your project?

Steve Maman: Yes, this moved me very deeply. I wanted to act and not remain a spectator. I basically looked at my watch, and noticed how many lives I could save if I were to sell what was on my wrist. The next morning, I decided I would help children out, using my contacts in Iraq.

What message do you want to send to the world?

Steve Maman: This project is directed by a Moroccan Jew that was born in a country where there is tolerance for all religions that permits them to express themselves openly.

Morocco should serve as an example to the world. I could be more proud to be born to such country. My Moroccan identity is what makes me who I am, someone who cares, who loves and gives to strangers. This character is typical of Moroccans. We are definitely givers. The land inspired us with love for others. The land made us who we are: in my case, a Moroccan Jew with an attachment to my land that is irreproachable. This is proven again through the generosity of Moroccan Jews who are clearly standing with me in my fight to save and liberate these innocent girls and women.

Thank you for sharing our mission.

We encourage you view our video and to LIKE us on Facebook under “The Liberation of Christian and Yazidi Children of Iraq.”

ISIS Turns 100-Ton Dump Truck Into IED

ISIS made an SVBIED out of this truck used to build dams and targeted Assad's forces near the T4 air-base in Syria pic.twitter.com/lV4O78IDlD

— American Jihad Watch (@Watcherone) August 24, 2015

(Boldride) When dealing with terrorists, it seems that anything and everything that could be used as an instrument of war, will be. For instance, earlier this month, ISIS turned a massive Belaz dump truck, something designed to construct dams and other massive projects, into a one hundred ton IED.

According to Jalopnik, the dump truck was modified to become a platform for a suicide attack against forces loyal to President Assad of Syria. The dump truck was modified to repel gunfire, smash through obstacles and barriers, and small explosions as it made its way to a key air base.

The base itself is one that Syria and the rest of the Middle East should be worried about falling into the hands of these terrorists. Inside, Syria not only keeps combat ready aircraft, but it is also full of fuel, other military vehicles, weapons, and a stockpile of bombs. Something that definitely shouldn’t end up in their hands.

While the gargantuan dump truck wasn’t able to plow its way all the way into the base, it goes to show that ISIS is willing to use whatever means necessary to get what the group wants.

What’s more frightening is that these tactics of using large, industrial machinery essentially as battering rams is becoming more common each day. And what’s worse is that ISIS has been using waves of these vehicles to borough deeper and deeper into the strongholds of Syria.

Russia accidentally reveals casualty figures from Ukraine

(Moscow) For the past few years Russia has categorically stated that it has nothing to do with the conflict inside its next door neighbour Ukraine. Besides the troops, tanks, artillery (and the odd jet liner getting shot down), Russia has no problem telling the world that "it wasn't me".

Well, it appears that the Russian military may have tripped up by publishing its finances. Russian news site Business Life (Delovaya Zhizn) has revealed what seem to be official figures detailing the number of Russian troops killed and injured in "Eastern Ukraine." The site posted a piece titled “Increases in Pay for Military in 2015,” and that as of 1 February 2015, monetary compensation had been paid to more than 2,000 families of fallen soldiers and to 3,200 military personnel suffering heavy wounds and recognized as invalids.” The content was hastily removed, but it was webcached by the Ukrainian journal Novy Region (New Region).

Kind of explains why Putin decreed in May of this year that all military deaths are to remain state secrets.

Saudi M1A2 Abrams tanks destroyed by Houthi rebels

(Yemen) Saudi Arabia is currently involved in a proxy war, of sorts, against Iran next door in Yemen. Shia Iran supports the Shia Houthi rebels and Sunni Saudi Arabia supports the Sunni Government.

Anyway, after the Houthi took control of the west of the country and forced the president to do a runner, the Saudis decided enough was enough and went in. First by air and later by ground. With the latter, the SA need to control the ground, and for that they use armour, more specifically tanks, of which they have over 400 M1A2SEP (the latest iteration). However, whilst this is the same tank as used by the US, there is one major difference. The US version uses depleted uranium panels as additional armour which explains why video footage has emerged of the Iranian backed Houthi taking out a couple of SA M1 tanks with basic Iranian made anti-tank missiles. The missiles used are Iranian clones of the Russian AT-5 Spandrel, a missile that first saw the light of day in 1974, but as old as it is (OK, the Iranian version has been upgraded), they have no problem lighting up the M1A2 Abrams tanks. Now, if only the Saudis didn't hate Israel so much, they could have fitted their armour with the Israeli Trophy APS system.

Colorado movie gunman sentenced to 12 lifetimes and 3,318 years

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (Reuters) - Condemning movie massacre gunman James Holmes to 12 life sentences and the maximum 3,318 years in prison for his rampage in a midnight screening of a Batman film, a Colorado judge said on Wednesday that evil and mental illness are not mutually exclusive.

"It is the court's intention that the defendant never set foot in free society again ... If there was ever a case that warranted the maximum sentences, this is the case," Arapahoe County District Court Judge Carlos Samour said.

"The defendant does not deserve any sympathy."

Survivors and relatives of those killed clapped and cheered as Samour then ordered deputies to remove Holmes from his courtroom, and the gunman was led away in shackles.

More...

Democrats to Spend 9/11 Partying with CAIR and ISNA Terror Supporters

It's the last place any patriotic American should be on 9/11.

(FPM) This is like spending Victory in Europe Day dressing up in Nazi uniforms or Pearl Harbor Day playing kamikaze. But it's business as usual for the Democratic Party, which does treason like it's going out of style.

First up is a very special 9/11 party with ISNA over in Lansing as the Islamic Society of Greater Lansing throws its 9th Annual Mayor’s Ramadan Unity Dinner hosted by two Dems, Mayor Virg Bernero and Nathan Triplett, as Creeping Sharia reports.

Come for the 9/11 ambiance, stay for the party at an Islamic center affiliated with ISNA. As a bonus, you can meet its imam, Sohail Chaudhry, who became infamous for his run-in with Asra Nomani. She claimed that his former mosque had extremist elements.

ISNA was set up by the Muslim Brotherhood, which is the same organization that spawned Al Qaeda. It has extensive ties to terrorism. It's the last place any patriotic American should be on 9/11.

Meanwhile over in Washington, the anniversary of the murder of thousands of Americans by Muslim terrorists means it's time for some quality CAIR time.

A meeting aimed in part at helping Tri-City elected officials become better acquainted with the local Muslim community was planned Friday in West Richland.

The session also was meant to help Tri-City area Muslims become more engaged in government. Similar meetings will be held in the Tri-Cities in the future, with the next one planned for September.

When in September exactly? Funny you should ask.

The next meeting is Sept. 11 in Kennewick

And by "Muslim community", they mean another Muslim Brotherhood terror-linked group.

They’re part of a initiative by the state chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR, a civil liberties and advocacy organization.

Here's the kind of civil liberties and advocacy CAIR is best known for...

CAIR was co-founded in 1994 by Nihad Awad, Omar Ahmad, and Rafeeq Jaber, all of whom had close ties to the Islamic Association for Palestine (IAP), which was established by senior Hamas operative Mousa Abu Marzook and functioned as Hamas’ public relations and recruitment arm in the United States.

On February 2, 1995, U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White named CAIR Advisory Board member and New York imam Siraj Wahhaj as one of the "unindicted persons who may be alleged as co-conspirators" in Islamic Group leader Omar Abdel Rahman's foiled plot to blow up numerous New York City monuments.

CAIR itself was named an unindicted coconspirator in the Holy Land Foundation terror finance trial.

In October 1998, CAIR demanded the removal of a Los Angeles billboard describing Osama bin Laden as "the sworn enemy." According to CAIR, this depiction was "offensive to Muslims."

In 1998, CAIR denied bin Laden's responsibility for the two al Qaeda bombings of American embassies in Africa. According to Ibrahim Hooper, the bombings resulted from "misunderstandings of both sides."

This is the sort of folks that some politicians seem to think are appropriate company for 9/11.

Muslim “refugee” colonizers flooding Europe, shouting “Allahu Akbar!”

Meanwhile, Germany opens its gates: Berlin says all Syrian asylum-seekers are welcome to remain, as Britain is urged to make a 'similar statement'.

Germans resist the Islamic invasion - attack immigration Center.

Israel's New Police Commissioner: 'Terrorists Should Be Shot!'

(INN) The incoming police commissioner, Brig. Gen. (res.) Gal Hirsch, appears to have a well-formed opinion regarding Arab rock attacks and the proper way to deal with them.

Two months ago, when Binyamin Regiment Commander Israel Shomer aimed lethal fire at an Arab who had thrown rocks at his vehicle, Hirsch wrote: “Following the incident this morning with the Binyamin Regiment Commander – I am including several photographs as a reminder – rocks and boulders are weapons like any other weapon, and they kill. In the photographs, you can see my rescue after the terrorist ambush against me in the Binyamin Regiment [sector]. This was followed by a year of intensive care, a long rehabilitation, permanent disability and suffering that has no end!”

Hirsch added photos showing his car after it had been crushed by a boulder that was dropped on it, and Hirsch himself receiving initial medical treatment.

"Col. Israel Shomer fought under my command,” he added. “He is a calm and collected, responsible and experienced officer. This morning, we spoke, and I expressed my support for him. He operated correctly. The words 'rioters' and 'rock throwers' are words that launder the correct definition – terrorists! And one should shoot terrorists!”

Hirsch was injured in his shoulder and arm in the boulder attack, which took place 18 years ago, when he was Operations Department Officer for the Judea and Samaria brigade. He underwent a year of rehabilitation and was later appointed to command the Binyamin Regiment, and was among the planners of Operation Defensive Shield. Later on in his service, he became commander of the Galilee Division. When the IDF was found to have functioned poorly in the Second Lebanon War, he came under criticism for allegedly unclear and "post-modern" instructions he had given the Division's commanders.

Reporter Alison Parker and Photographer Adam Ward Killed in Moneta on Live Broadcast; UPDATE: The shooter is station's ex-employee

It is with extreme sadness that we report WDBJ7's Alison Parker and Adam Ward were killed in an attack this morning. http://t.co/oC9s4vLJXV

— WDBJ7 (@WDBJ7) August 26, 2015

We love you, Alison and Adam. pic.twitter.com/hLSzQi06XE

— WDBJ7 (@WDBJ7) August 26, 2015

MONETA, Va. (Aug. 26, 2015) – A reporter and photographer from a TV news station in Roanoke, Va., were shot and killed during a live news interview on Wednesday morning.

The shooting occurred at Smith Mountain Lake in Moneta, Virginia. WDBJ confirmed the deaths on Wednesday.

During a live interview at Bridgewater Plaza, approximately eight gunshots are heard as a reporter is seen interviewing someone on-screen. The camera then drops to the ground and the broadcast cuts back to the anchor desk.

The video captures an image of the what’s believed to be the suspected shooter before it cuts away. WDBJ tweeted out that they are trying to figure out what happened and that law enforcement is on scene.

Authorities from Bedford County, Franklin County and Virginia State Police have responded.

This situation is currently ongoing and we will post updates as soon as they become available.

JUST IN: Vicki Gardner, who was subject of WDBJ interview, was shot in the back and is in surgery - http://t.co/IP4t8qbLb2

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) August 26, 2015

Murdered Cameraman's Fiancée Was in Control Room, Watched Shooting Live http://t.co/bHoh5phLXi (VIDEO) pic.twitter.com/Lwbqg4K5Gx

— Mediaite (@Mediaite) August 26, 2015

UPDATE: Shooter is station's ex-employee.

(Reuters) Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe said the suspected shooter of two television journalists on air Wednesday morning has been identified and appears to be a disgruntled former employee from the station, local media reported.

The suspect is being pursued, a CBS News affiliate in Richmond, Virginia, and Washington-based WTOP radio said. WTVR, the CBS station, said the suspect was in a vehicle being chased by police.

Shooting suspect Vester L. Flanagan aka Bryce Williams. Per CNN. pic.twitter.com/QXUPIhTI1n

— John Nolte (@NolteNC) August 26, 2015

The suspect is Vester Lee Flanagan, a light-skinned black man who is 6-feet-3-inches tall and weighs about 250 pounds, according to the Augusta County Sheriff's Office.

Terror toddler filmed sawing off teddy bear’s head with ISIS backdrop

(NYDN) ISIS recruitment begins young.

Disturbing video has surfaced showing a toddler knifing off a teddy bear's head as ISIS flags hang in the background.

The terror tot, identified as the son of a jihadi, is first seen enthusiastically running into the room with the six-inch blade raised in his hand.

He goes straight for a white and red plush doll and begins sawing away at its throat as music plays in the background.

When he briefly pauses, a man off camera emits a cry which is echoed by the little boy who then resumes his attack after smiling and raising his knife.

"Allah Akbar!" the unseen man cries as the barefoot boy waddles away with a smile, leaving the doll behind him.

The 51-second video, titled “The son of one of the Mujahideen Part II” in Arabic, was posted on YouTube Friday and tweeted out by a self-described "Islamic Supremacist, Radical and Fundamentalist."

"Oh my.." @jihadi56 tweeted with emojis expressing tears and laughter. "Khilafah cub showing off his skills!"

Israel Foils Terror Attack on Joseph's Tomb

(JNS.org) Israel’s Shin Bet security agency revealed that it has foiled a plot to attack Jewish worshipers at Joseph’s Tomb.

According to the Shin Bet, four Palestinians were arrested in connection to a plot to launch a bombing and shooting attack at the site. The four named suspects were Nassim Damiri, 30, who has been jailed a number of times by Israel; Muhammad Damiri, 23, who serves as a Palestinian Authority police officer; Yasser Tsarawi, 25, also a former prisoner and a known Hamas terrorist operative; and Adwan Nazzal, 24, an Islamic Jihad terrorist operative.

The Shin Bet said the plot was armed and directed by Islamic Jihad from the Gaza Strip.

“During the interrogation, Nassim Damiri admitted his intention to carry out a terror attack at Joseph’s Tomb in Nablus, and his cousin, Muhammad Damiri, admitted to conducting surveillance and collecting information on the movements of the worshipers there, in order to facilitate the attack,” the Shin Bet said.

Joseph’s Tomb is the final resting place of the biblical patriarch Joseph as well as his sons Ephraim and Manasseh, and is located near the biblical city of Shechem. Today, the site sits on the outskirts of Nablus and is under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority. The tomb is normally closed to Jewish worshippers, with the exception of monthly planned visits under the protection of the Israel Defense Forces. The terrorists plotted to attack Jewish worshippers who frequently sneak into the tomb to pray.

“In this investigation we have seen again very clearly that there is high motivation of operatives in Gaza to push and direct terror in the West Bank,” a Shin Bet source said, the Jerusalem Post reported.

Mass Immigration and the Undoing of Europe

From Gatestone Institute:

• In Germany, where traffickers are now dropping off illegal immigrants on Autobahns, authorities have reacted -- not by trying to intercept or discourage traffickers, but by putting up new road signs alerting drivers of potential pedestrians on the highway.
• Last month alone, more migrants landed on the shores of Greece than in the whole of 2014.
• If the mainstream media keep reminding everyone how the rioting immigrant youths in France or Britain are driven by economic inequality now, imagine the scale of unrest once European welfare states cannot finance "half the planet" anymore and are forced to cut welfare benefits.
• No one, however, especially the media, blames migrants for their own actions.
• This is the real tragedy of the unfolding refugee crisis in Europe: apart from those fleeing combat zones, most migrants swarming European borders and coastlines do not appear to be in any real or dire need.

With the European Union surrendering its immigration policy to people smugglers, the immigration crisis in Europe keeps reaching staggering new heights. The word has gone out that Fortress Europe is scalable. From Morocco to Turkey, people smuggling has turned into an irresistibly big business.

From small-time thugs to the terror outfit Hamas -- for $2500-$3000 per person smuggled -- many evidently want to seize a slice of this lucrative business that was created by the EU's collective inaction.

In Germany, where traffickers are now dropping off illegal immigrants on Autobahns, authorities have reacted -- not by trying to intercept or discourage the traffickers, but by putting new road-signs alerting drivers of potential pedestrians on the highway.

Even before this year's mass immigration began, Germany was struggling to deal with roughly a quarter of a million asylum applicants -- without even accounting for the illegal immigrants already in the country. The recent wave of migration would push those figures to record heights.

The trend in Germany merely reflects the overall scale of the European immigrant crisis. In July 2015, an estimated 50,000 refugees entered Greece, a surge of 750 percent. Last month alone more migrants landed than in the whole of 2014.

In Germany, the head of Lower Saxony's Municipal Federation, Marco Trips, told local reporters that the "system has already collapsed." This sentiment is apparently shared by municipalities across Germany. In a historic move, the German federal government has now called in the military to assist in setting up new tent cities and providing basic amenities for ever-rising number of refugees.

The majority of those entering Europe illegally seem not to be fleeing armed conflicts, but seeking a better life in a welfare paradise. Europe's answer is to throw money at the problem -- money Europe does not have. Britain's Defence Secretary proposed spending £12 billion ($19 million USD) on programs to "discourage" mass migration.

The European welfare system, funded increasingly by governments' debt in recent decades, is showing signs of an impending collapse. There is no end in sight for Greece's debt crisis, despite repeated bailout packages to the tune of €326 billion ($375 billion USD). Slow economic growth, high youth unemployment and an aging population makes the European welfare model increasingly untenable.

If the mainstream media keep reminding everyone how rioting immigrant youths in France or Britain are driven by economic inequality now, imagine the scale of unrest once European welfare states cannot finance "half the planet" anymore and are forced to cut welfare benefits.

Europe's answer to this imminent financial doom is to create still more welfare dependents or, even better, "invite" them by failing to secure the borders.

EU bureaucrats not only refuse to implement basic border controls but rebuke any EU member state moving to secure its borders. European politicians and the mainstream media are up in arms against Hungary's move to erect a border fence along its southern border. American public broadcaster PBS ran a report telling its viewers about Hungary's "new Iron Curtain." The Associated Press quoted unnamed "critics" who compared the Hungarian fence to "Communist-era barriers like the Berlin Wall."

The EU bureaucrats in Brussels want to force a single asylum policy on all 28 member states, asking that they take in more migrants. According to this common asylum policy proposed by Brussels, asylum seekers entering EU would be divided among EU members.

Hungary, with 60,000 migrant arrivals so far just this year, entering mainly from Serbia, remains the most vocal opponent of the EU's proposed policy.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has been virtually ostracized by European politicians and media, for not complying with EU's immigration policy. Contrary to the EU's position, he has called for a "distinction" between EU member-state citizens moving within Europe and non-EU foreigners. "There are economic immigrants who are just in search of a better life... Unfortunately in Hungary we can't give jobs to all of these immigrants," Orbán said, and called the EU's proposal for member states to take in more refugees "absurd, bordering on insanity."

Europe, itself reeling under a financial crisis, cannot provide housing, employment and social benefits to the thousands who each day land on European shores and cross over borders. German newspapers are full of countless reports of immigrants disappointed after arriving in Europe, almost always followed by a reporter's plea for urgent action to address the said grievance. These "disappointments" often turn into violent clashes. Police across Germany have their hands full just to keeping rival migrant gangs from turning on each other or on officials.

No one, however, especially the media, blames migrants for their own actions. The mainstream media in Germany apparently refuse to connect the dots, so as not to "feed into negative stereotypes." A columnist for Germany's Tageszeitung even wrote of an elaborate government conspiracy that drives immigrants to turn violent -- allegedly just to give them a bad name.

Tageszeitung also ran a story lamenting the "alarming conditions" of refugees landing on Greek islands. The article was accompanied by a photograph of smiling, well-fed, sturdy young men, posing for "selfies" on their smartphones while holding cigarettes in their hands. One of them was thoughtful enough to bring along a selfie-stick for his smartphone, to capture the moment he fled a "war zone" or acute "economic misery."

This, however, is the real tragedy of the unfolding refugee crisis in Europe: apart from those fleeing combat zones, most migrants swarming European borders and coastlines do not appear to be in any real or dire need. Economic disparity on other continents should not oblige Europeans to open its own floodgates for mass migration.

This crisis seems to be one of Europe's own making -- that seems to be the logical conclusion of Europe's debt-driven welfare system and the EU's contempt for national boundaries.

Team Obama wins mercy for a sponsor of terrorism

Worst. President. Ever.

(NYT) Back in February, a Manhattan federal jury sent a critical message about holding the perpetrators of terror responsible: It found the Palestinian Authority liable for six attacks and assessed $218.5 million in damages.

But on Monday, thanks to Team Obama, that message was all but obliterated.

After an unusual intercession by the State and Justice departments, the judge hearing the case ordered the PA to post $10 million cash plus another $1 million a month as a bond while the case is appealed.

That’s a far cry from the $30 million a month the victorious plaintiffs had sought. And it’s a pittance next to what most other defendants would have to post.

The jurors held the PA responsible for attacks from 2002 to 2004 that killed 33 and wounded 400 others. The plaintiffs — 10 US families directly affected by the terrorism — showed that the PA employed the perps and made payments to suicide bombers’ families.

The usual appeals bond is 111 percent of the verdict — which in this case would be $655 million, since the amount is tripled under the 1992 US Anti-Terrorism Act.

But the administration pushed Judge George Daniels not to hit the PA too hard for fear it might collapse and endanger “a two-state solution” to the Middle East conflict.

So Daniels wound up assessing exactly what the PA said it could pay. That token amount probably won’t even cut into the PA’s subsidy of convicted terrorists — payments one official likened to “Social Security.”

Will the administration now try to overturn the whole verdict by saying the PA can’t afford to pay the damages?

Actually, the larger question is: How did US policy sink to the absurdity of relying on the terror-sponsoring Palestinian Authority as a vehicle for peace?

Egyptian Tel Aviv University Student Praises Israel in Viral Speech

(INN) Haisam Hassanein, an Egyptian student who this week completed his master's degree studies at Tel Aviv University, said at a graduation ceremony for foreign students that he almost didn't come to Israel – after nearly everyone he knew told him that traveling to Tel Aviv would be a bad idea.

Hassanein, who grew up in a rural area of Egypt, was fed a non-stop diet of anti-Israel stereotypes and propaganda, he said in his valedictorian speech at the graduation ceremony at Tel Aviv University last week, which has since gone viral. “Despite the fact that we have a peace treaty, I was always taught that Israel was the enemy,” he said.

Despite his fears, Hassanein decided he could not pass up the opportunity for an all-expenses paid master's degree program offered by Tel Aviv University – and decided to make the best of this “sentence” at an Israeli university. If you think you heard a million reasons why not to come to Israel, I heard a million and a half. Growing up in Egypt, the entire country had opinions about Israel, and none of them were positive. All we knew was that we had fought bloody wars, and that they were not like us," he said.

“I expected people to be hostile, and not to want to associate with an Egyptian. But I was very pleasantly surprised to find out that just the opposite was true. I was invited to all sorts of events, to Shabbat dinners and end of Ramadan fast 'iftar' dinners. I went to plays, events, and many other venues.”

Israel, he said, was a surprisingly free society. “Where else will you find the apartment of a Christian Arab that is decorated with posters of Mao and Lenin? Where else will you find an IDF soldier reading the Koran during Ramadan? On my very first day here at the university, I saw men in kippas, women in hijabs. I saw soldiers walking peacefully among crowds of lively students. I learned there were people of every kind in the university, and the university had a place for all of them—Jews, Muslims, Christians, Druze, Bedouins, and even international students.

"“We must always question our assumptions,” Hassanein added. “Being here in Israel has taught me that life is full of paradoxes and complexities—that nothing is straightforward, and that things are often not as they are made to seem.”

The British Left and Anti-Semitism

(London) The left of the political spectrum always try to tell anybody who will listen (as well as themselves) that they actually care for people/environment/feelings and that they have no truck for intimidation/intolerance/hatred of any sort. Which is why they have no problem supporting Islamic groups who are against the state of Israel. You know, that Israel which, when it was born in 1948, was invaded by 6 Arab armies (Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Egypt and the Arab Liberation Army), that Israel which has made peace agreements with its neighbours, which affords all faiths, all genders and races more equality than any Islamic land. You know, that Israel which has given the world so much, and yet for all that, the left feel that Israel is a stain on the land and must be removed.

Which brings me to the British (socialist) Labour Party and its in-house contest for a new Leader. In the lead by a long way is Trotskyite Jeremy Corbyn who feels that the only way for the UK to go forward is to shed its current allies (US/Europe and Israel) and realign with Hamas, Hezbollah,Russia, Venezuela.

Anyway, as is the way of any political campaign, magnifying glasses look into the past of anybody seeking office, and they in turn are asked to explain themselves. Well, it appears that Corbyn has something for Islamic terrorist groups and has hosted terrorists from both groups at the Parliament on a number of occasions. He also hangs around with a large number of Holocaust deniers which resulted in Corbyn issuing a public statement that he would never have knowingly associated with Holocaust deniers. This came days after he denied sharing a platform with one, where the very next day he stated that he did, but he simply forgot about that meeting (or the rest).

So the new champion of the left claims he isn’t an anti-Semite. Really? But if we do a search of this Labour MP's webpage for Israel and Islington (his constituency) we find he has made 149 references about Israel and 140 for Islington. Now, why would a left-wing British MP mention a country thousands of miles away more times than the area he is meant to represent?

Answers on the back of a postage stamp to Jeremy Corbyn, MP for Islington, Londonistan. England.

Muslim migrants in Macedonia refuse Red Cross parcels because of... the red cross

(Skopje) The headless chicken reaction by the leaders of the European Union regarding mass migration by hundreds of thousands of people has resulted in these so called refugees not only demanding to be allowed to go where they want to go, but insisting on subscribing to the religious bigotry they claim they are running away from.

Here on the Macedonian/Greek border Red Cross aid parcels are being refused due to them having a red cross on the box. And the left call me a bigot for questioning the veracity of these so called refugees.

US Marines prevent terrorist attack on French train

(Paris) A North African gunman armed with a Kalashnikov and knives decided to go on the rampage on a high speed train travelling between Amsterdam and Paris this evening at around 6pm local time. After shooting up a carriage and injuring a couple of passengers, the follower of Mohammed was taken to task by 2 US Marines who, whilst injured, managed to subdue this blood thirsty follower of the religion of peace.

The train stopped at Arras station where the gunman was arrested and is currently being questioned by police.

#Video footage of arrest #gunman #thalys #france #arras pic.twitter.com/N68WXxqf3Z

— Dutch Osint Guy (@DutchOsintGuy) August 21, 2015

It transpires that the gunman is a 26-year-old Moroccan known to the police for his jihadist ways.

Well done to the US Marine Corps, who nipped in the bud a terrorist attack which could have killed hundreds.

ISIS beheads Palmyra antiquities expert then hangs his body from a column

ISIS beheads Palmyra antiquities expert then hangs his body from a column. READ MORE: http://t.co/PePYh7sP5u pic.twitter.com/K13RbTYkjD

— Breaking News Feed (@PzFeed) August 19, 2015

(Daily Mail) Depraved militants fighting for the Islamic State in Syria have brutally murdered an 82-year-old retired archaeologist because he refused to tell them where gold and ancient statues were hidden.

The family of Khaled Asaad are said to have been told that the retired scholar, who worked for more than 50 years as head of antiquities in Palmyra, was beheaded by ISIS yesterday.

Mr Asaad had been detained and interrogated for over a month by the ultra-radical Sunni Muslim militants, who demanded to know where many of the ancient city's priceless artifacts had been taken in the days before and after ISIS took control of the city.

Sickening images proudly shared on social media by supporters of the terror group showed the mutilated remains of Mr Asaad chained to a railing, with his severed head - still wearing glasses - placed on the floor between his feet.

More...

Deadly blast rocks Thailand capital

(Bangkok) A bomb, which was placed inside a Hindu shrine in the centre of Bangkok, was detonated today at 1900 hrs local time and resulted in the untimely deaths of 19 people and another 120 people injured.

The shrine is a major attraction for visitors from Asia and for Thai people. Dedicated to the Hindu god Brahma, it is also popular among Thailand’s Buddhist and Chinese tourists.

All eyes are on the rebellious Islamic population in the south of the country who wish to cede from Thailand and form their own little empire.

Sally Jones, ISIS recruiter, spotted 'back in Britain' after claims terror organisation is now focusing on 'lone wolf' attacks

(The Independent) A British woman made infamous after marrying a notorious Isis fighter has reportedly been spotted back in the UK, only days after a report claimed she was encouraging “lone wolf” attacks in Britain.

Sally Jones, 45, is thought to have travelled to Syria in 2013 in order to marry a jihadist called Junaid Hussain. She has extensively documented her experiences in territory held by the group online.

Hussein, formerly a hacker, has been identified as a top five target for drone strikes by the US Secret Service.

According to The Daily Record, Jones has been spotted with two men in Birmingham – where her husband lived prior to moving to Syria – and that Special Branch officers had been placed on alert in Scottish airports.

The apparent sighting comes after a Sky News report claimed to have made contact Jones on Twitter and chatrooms – revealing that Isis is reportedly encouraging fighters to carrying out “lone wolf” attacks in the UK.

Jones made contact with reporters posing as an 18-year-old girl on a messaging site, eventually asking the character what she intended to do in the UK – either cut off peoples’ heads or detonate a bomb.

Jones, originally from Chatham in Kent, reportedly walked the reporters through the procedure step-by-step. When the character appeared hesitant, Jones mentioned that she allegedly had a potential bomber lined up in Scotland.

The Metropolitan Police declined to comment when contacted by The Independent, but Police Scotland released a statement on Tuesday that said: “The threat level in the UK remains at Severe which means an attack is highly likely."

He continued: “Against that backdrop Police Scotland constantly assesses and reviews its response to the threat from terrorism with Policing operations being shaped appropriately and based on the latest intelligence analysis.”

The officer also asked communities to remain alert for any suspicious activity but reassured the public Police Scotland were “working closely” with their partners to ensure the force remain alert.

Syrian jihadist group says ceasefire with Hezbollah over

BEIRUT (AP) — A rare ceasefire negotiated with Hezbollah fighters in a Syrian town and two villages collapsed Saturday after several days during which guns fell silent, a rebel group involved in the talks and activists said.

The ceasefire in the northern rebel-held town of Zabadani, near the border with Lebanon, as well as in Foua and Kfarya, two Shiite villages in Idlib province, was reached Wednesday and was to last until Sunday.

But Ahrar al-Sham, the main rebel group involved in the negotiations, announced Saturday the negotiations had collapsed.

More...

ISIS executes rival fighters after revolt in central Libya

ISIS is outjihading its competitors.

BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) - Islamic State has executed and displayed the bodies of four members of a rival group which had staged a revolt against the militants in the central Libyan city of Sirte, residents said.

Islamic State has crushed in the past few days a revolt by a Salafist Muslim group and armed residents trying to break its grip on the city, located some 500 km to the east of Tripoli. As many as 70 people have been killed, according to residents.

As a warning to others, Islamic State killed four fighters from the rival side and hung their corpses on metal gibbets for public display, four residents told Reuters. Pictures on social media, whose authenticity could not be verified, showed two bodies hanging from a gibbet.

Islamic State militants, who have gained a foothold in Libya by exploiting chaos and a security vacuum, also destroyed houses in Sirte belonging to rival fighters, residents said.

Air strikes near Damascus kill at least 58 people, wound more than 200

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian warplanes struck a rebel-held area to the northeast of Damascus on Sunday, killing at least 58 people and wounding more than 200 more, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The Observatory said the attack had hit a marketplace in Douma, some 15 km (10 miles) northeast of Damascus. Another activist group in the area said on social media that the death toll was 67, quoting emergency workers.

A Syrian military source said the air force had carried out strikes in Douma and the nearby area of Harasta, saying these had targeted headquarters of the rebel group Islam Army.

Hamas Threatens UNRWA Over Budget Cuts

(INN) Senior members of Hamas have escalated their threats against UNRWA (the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East), following UNRWA's announcement that it will have to reduce its services due to a lack of funding.

UNRWA is the largest organization belonging to the United Nations, with an operating budget of over a billion dollars per year. It provides health care, education, and other services to Palestinians. It is also the only UN organization dedicated to a specific group of refugees, and Palestinians are the only refugees who can inherit refugee status from their parents.

The organization is currently running on a deficit of $101 million. Without the extra money, it claims that it will be forced to delay the start of the coming school year.

Hamas organized large-scale demonstrations against the possible delay throughout Gaza. Participants waved banners criticizing the organization, calling for a "right of return" and threatening a "revolution of the refugee camps and anger."

The main protest was held in front of the UNRWA offices. During the demonstration, Mushir al-Masri, a senior member of Hamas, called the decision to delay the school yea "an open war against our people and our refugees, and a preparatory step towards removing the right of return to the homes from which we were evicted during the Nakba." The Nakba, meaning "disaster," is the term many Palestinians use for the creation of Israel.

Masri warned against adhering to the "stupid" restriction and warned that he would not be able to stop the anger on the streets. He further called for Islamic national forces and to Palestinians to come out in "revolution and rage against the decisions which hurt refugees."

Another senior Hamas official, Sa'ed al-Marazi, told the crowds, "We say to everyone, especially the UN Secretary-General: give us back our stolen homeland, and the Jews should return to wherever they came from. Your land is not here."

Al-Marazi also added his own threat, saying that "all the options are open" should UNRWA reduce its services.

Beautiful! Let them get angry, then, - or explore those other options.

Pakistan child sex abuse scandal: Hundreds of children filmed being sexually abused in the Punjab

Pakistan child sex abuse scandal: Hundreds of children filmed being sexually abused in the Punjab http://t.co/vg9iQLMMgQ

— Jewhadi™ (@JewhadiTM) August 10, 2015

(IBT) Officials in the Pakistani state of Punjab have called for a judicial inquiry to be launched, after 400 video recordings were found showing more than 280 children being sexually abused.

In what may be the worst child sexual abuse scandal in the country's history, thousands of copies of the videos are believed to have been sold from Hussain Khanwala village in Kasur district, for as little as 50 Rupees (£0.31).

In some cases, the tapes were used to blackmail victims' parents, Pakistan's Dawn newspaper reported.

In many of the videos the victims were forced to abuse each other, with most of them under 14, and one boy six years old, police chief Rai Babar Saeed, district police chief of Kasur told reporters.

He said that one recording showed a 14-year-old boy sexually abusing a 10-year-old girl, and one victim was injected in the spine with a drug before being assaulted.

"Those involved in the case will be severely punished. They will not be able to escape their fate. The affected families will be provided with justice at any cost," Chief Minister of Punjab Shahbaz Sharif said.

More...

Obama: I will totally protect Israel the day after a nuclear attack by Iran

(The Hill) [...] Obama also committed his support to Israel in the event of an Iranian attack on the Jewish state.

“If Israel were attacked by Iran, not just me, but any U.S. administration would do everything that we needed to do to make sure that Israel was protected,” the president said.

Islamic State kills 37 rival insurgents in Syria's Aleppo province

A funny thing happened on the way to jihad...

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Islamic State fighters killed at least 37 rival insurgents in an overnight attack in Syria's Aleppo province and 20 fighters remain missing, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Sunday.

Rami Abdulrahman, head of the Observatory, said that late on Saturday a suicide bomber from the hardline group blew himself up in a military post held by a group of rival insurgents in the Umm Housh village in northern Aleppo countryside.

Islamic State fighters then seized the village after heavy clashes with rival groups.

Carly Fiorina's Debate Summary - 44 Seconds of Gold

Syrian Death Toll Passes 240,000, including 12,000 children

(AFP) More than 240,000 people, including 12,000 children, have been killed in Syria's conflict which broke out in March 2011, a monitoring group said Thursday.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it has documented the deaths of 240,381 people, up from its tally of 230,618 announced on June 9.

The latest toll compiled by the Britain-based group shows that 11,964 children were among 71,781 civilians killed in Syria.

At least 88,616 regime forces were killed - or one third of all deaths documented by the Observatory - including 50,570 soldiers and the rest allied fighters.

The monitor, which relies on a wide network of sources on the ground, put the death toll for rebel fighters at 42,384 and said 34,375 foreign jihadists have also been killed in Syria.

The identity of another 3,225 people killed in the conflict remains unknown, according to the Observatory.

The fate of 30,000 people who have gone missing in Syria, including 20,000 said to be held in Syrian jails, was not documented in the toll.

It also did not take into account the fate of thousands of loyalist forces held by rebel factions or by the Islamic State jihadist group.

The Syrian conflict began with anti-government protests before spiraling into a multi-front war after a brutal regime crackdown.

ISIS executes 19 girls for refusing to have sex with fighters

BREAKING NEWS: ISIS executes 19 girls for refusing to have sex with fighters. MORE: http://t.co/1eoP8fvIeT pic.twitter.com/aXL0H1gDHK

— Breaking News Feed (@PzFeed) August 6, 2015

(JPost) ISIS gunmen executed 19 women for refusing to have sex with them, a Kurdish official is quoted as telling Iraqi press.

The official said that the women were taken captive as sex slaves after ISIS fighters overran the Iraqi town of Mosul last year.

Earlier thtis year, Islamic State goons in Syria held a grotesque “Koran memorization contest” in which the winners were awarded female child sex slaves to honor the month of Ramadan.

The news of the contest, which was held in various ISIS-run mosques in Syria, spread across social media.

The situation for Syrian women has worsened since ISIS forces captured swaths of the country last year.

According to Valerie Amos, the UN's under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief, women and female children as young as 12 are enslaved and sexually abused.

"Women captured as slaves by [Islamic State] have been sold in markets in Raqqa. Some are sold to individual men. Others are kept by [Islamic State] in rest houses and face multiple rapes by fighters returning from the battlefield," Amos reported during a UN Security Council session.

"Kurdish refugees from Kobani reported the capture of young girls by [Islamic State] for sexual purposes, girls as young as 12."

Amos said there has also been a rise in the incidence of forced marriage. "This is in part due to a depletion of family resources and more recently because parents are terrified of their daughters being forced to marry [Islamic State] fighters in areas under their control."

She called these and other horrible acts war crimes. "[Islamic State] has carried out mass victimization of civilians including murder, enslavement, rape, forcible displacement and torture, and has violated its obligation toward civilians."

Amos spoke harshly about the lack of progress since the Security Council passed Resolution 2139 in February, which laid out a number of basic human rights demands that the Syrian government and opposition fighters must follow.

FBI to Seek Counseling, Not Handcuffs, for Some Islamic State Suspects

O M G 👉👉@FBI to Seek Counseling, Not Handcuffs, for Some Islamic State Suspects - WSJ http://t.co/mqfQ8WKogJ

— Jewhadi™ (@JewhadiTM) August 6, 2015

Faced with a wave of potential homegrown Islamic State supporters, the Federal Bureau of Investigation is embarking on a new approach with some suspects: putting them in counseling rather than handcuffs.

Federal and local officials working on counterterrorism say the logistical challenges posed by Islamic State’s propaganda—its slick online messages are readily available to anyone—make it difficult to address the problem solely through traditional investigations.

Proponents of the intervention model say it provides a possible “off ramp” from radicalization and addresses a hard truth: The FBI cannot effectively investigate all of the thousands of Americans who are believed to be interested in Islamic State, also known as ISIS.

The challenge is particularly acute for teenage suspects, because the federal criminal justice system is poorly equipped to prosecute minors, officials said.

“Nobody wants to see a 15-year-old kid go to jail if they don’t have to,’’ said one official working on the effort. That official said that when the FBI recommends a potential suspect for counseling, the criminal investigation will continue and agents will be prepared to make an arrest if they believe the person becomes more dangerous.

The issue has sparked an intense debate inside federal law enforcement, where many fear deadly consequences if they misjudge a suspect who is sent to counseling instead of being arrested.

“I get the principle, but there are a lot of potential problems with this, and I think it’s a wrong move,’’ said Peter Ahearn a former FBI counterterrorism agent. “I’m not saying it shouldn’t be done but it shouldn’t be done by the FBI. That’s not the mission.’’

More...

Egyptians and their leaders are warming to Jews, Israel

Egyptians are reassessing 1950s-era nationalization policies that squeezed out the Jewish community and other ethnic minorities.

CAIRO (JTA) — It’s been a particularly challenging summer for Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi. Within one week in late June and early July, his attorney general was assassinated in the upscale Cairo suburb of Heliopolis and an Islamic State affiliate launched a two-day siege in the North Sinai town of Sheikh Zuweid.

But just days after the bloody Sinai battle, Sisi put aside two hours to meet with a delegation from the American Jewish Committee, the global Jewish advocacy group, and then delivered a matter-of-fact account of the meeting to the state-run Middle East News Agency. The conversation revolved around regional terrorism threats, the stalled peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians, the nuclear deal with Iran and the preservation of Egyptian Jewish heritage, according to the AJC’s director of government and international affairs, Jason Isaacson, who coordinated the delegation.

The AJC meeting at the presidential palace came at a time when Egyptian attitudes about Jews are changing. Egyptians are reassessing 1950s-era nationalization policies that squeezed out the Jewish community and other ethnic minorities. The word “Jew” is used less frequently as a curse word, and the historical TV drama “Jewish Quarter” was a breakout hit during Ramadan. The series cast the Islamist group the Muslim Brotherhood as a greater threat to Egypt’s unity and security than the Jews and, sometimes, even the Zionists. (Past TV series during Ramadan have traded in negative tropes and stereotypes about Jewish “treachery” and hostility, so “Jewish Quarter” represented a major departure.)

“I find more tolerance,” said Isaacson, referring to the period since Sisi came to power in 2013. “I find more respect for Israel and more feeling of commonality between Egyptian and Israeli strategic concerns with common attitudes towards Hamas, especially toward the connections between Hamas and other extremist groups.”

Officially, fewer than eight Jews remain in this capital city — all of them elderly women. The community’s leader, Magda Haroun, last month opened the heavily guarded and rarely used Shaar Hashamayim synagogue in downtown Cairo for an interfaith Ramadan Iftar event, the daily break-fast meal during the holy month. (There were some 75,000 Jews in Egypt before 1948, but in the 1950s the Jewish population was largely stripped of citizenship and assets by then President Gamal Abdel Nasser.)

The meeting also coincided with a warming trend between Sisi, the strongman who leads the world’s most populous Arab country, and Israel. In June, Egypt appointed Hazem Khairat as its new ambassador to Tel Aviv. Sisi’s predecessor, Mohamed Morsi, long affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, had recalled the previous ambassador in November 2012 after the Israeli Air Force struck and killed a top Hamas military commander and launched an eight-day offensive in the Gaza Strip.

Israel’s war last summer in Gaza threw in sharp relief just how far from favor Hamas, founded as an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, has fallen in official Cairo since Sisi’s ascent to power. (Morsi was removed in a 2013 military takeover orchestrated by Sisi, who became president the following year.) As Israel’s Operation Protective Edge unfolded, Egypt’s state-sanctioned TV stations specifically deployed the term “terrorist” to describe Hamas-launched missile attacks on Israel. And in the wake of increased activity in the Sinai by affiliates of the Islamic State, the Israel Defense Forces’ Southern Command and the Egyptian Army in Sinai are increasingly sharing intelligence on the movement of for-profit weapons smugglers and ideologically motivated militants.

Sisi’s administration has also been widely criticized in the West for clamping down on free speech and press freedoms, and for jailing political opponents. Washington withheld funds and equipment from Egypt after a particularly violent confrontation in August 2013 between government troops and supporters of Morsi, a clash that left more than 600 dead on the streets of Cairo.

In March, President Obama restored most of the $1.3 billion in annual military funding, and the Pentagon resumed shipments of new Harpoon missiles, F-16 fighter jets and replacement kits for Abrams tanks. The Egyptian Air Force’s ability to deploy F-16s allowed government troops to beat back the assault against Sheik Zuweid by Ansar Beit Al Maqdis, an ISIS-affiliated group.

US Secretary of State John Kerry was in Cairo Monday, where he co-chaired a “Strategic Dialogue” meeting with Egypt’s minister of foreign affairs, Sameh Shoukry.

If any one figure in Egypt deserves credit for the contemporary shift in attitudes, perhaps it is Amir Ramses, whose recent two-part documentary project “The Jews of Egypt” and “End of a Journey” explores the rise and demise of the Jewish communities of Cairo and Alexandria between the late 19th century and the middle of the 20th century.

Ramses, a middle-class Muslim from Cairo, battled official censors here under the administrations of both Morsi and Hosni Mubarak, and Islamists were particularly rankled by the documentary’s revisiting of the “Balfour Day” riots instigated by the Muslim Brotherhood in 1945. They coincided with the anniversary of the Balfour Declaration, the 1917 letter declaring Britain’s intention to set up a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Yet last year, Ramses’ films were screened in Egypt to critical acclaim.

Ramses said he was intrigued by stories from his grandparents about Jewish, Greek and Italian neighbors whose different foods and folkways added an international flair to the metropolis — a flair that is now decidedly absent.

“The big picture I am trying to draw,” he said, “is an image of the pre-1952 society through the window of the diversity of a cosmopolitan way of living in Cairo.”

Truth at New York Times - 7 Paragraphs Deep

Truth at @nytimes - - buried in 7th paragraph: 4 Palestinians Die in Blast From Ordnance Found in Gaza War’s Rubble http://t.co/LIm0SjrjDL

— Al Nakba (@Big_AL_Nakba) August 6, 2015

GAZA CITY (NYT) — Four Palestinians from the same extended family were killed, and around 30 more people were wounded on Thursday, after ordnance exploded in Gaza as residents cleared rubble from the war with Israel last summer.

The death toll made it one of the deadliest episodes since the 50-day conflict between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza. It was not immediately whether the ordnance was left behind by Israeli, or by Palestinian forces.

The explosion in a crowded refugee camp in the southern Gaza city of Rafah occurred when the Abu Naqeira family were clearing the ruins of their home, which was a target during the conflict, according to the Palestinian news agency Maan.

The four men killed in the blast were all from the Abu Naqeira family, including a father and his son, residents said. The explosion shook neighborhoods in Rafah and damaged or destroyed at least 10 surrounding houses, said Hani al-Shaer, who identified himself as a witness.

Ashraf al-Qedra, spokesman for Gaza’s Health Ministry, said the death toll was likely to rise, citing the serious injuries of some of the wounded.

It was not immediately clear if the family knew that there was unexploded ordnance in the rubble, or if any specialists were supervising the clearing.

One resident living nearby reported hearing a series of explosions, and said that the blasts might have been caused by rockets stored by Hamas militants. He gave his name as Abu Khalil, fearing to be identified as criticizing the militant group.

Suicide bombing in Saudi mosque for security forces kills 15

Saudi chickens are coming home to roost.

CAIRO (Reuters) A suicide bomb attack on the mosque of a local security force headquarters in Abha city in south-west Saudi Arabia killed 15 people on Thursday, most of them members of the force, the Saudi interior ministry said.

The mosque in Abha, the capital of Asir province, was part of the local headquarters of the Special Emergency Force, the interior ministry security spokesman told state news agency SPA. The ministry earlier put the toll at 13, but later reported two of the wounded had died.

Of those killed, 12 were members of the force, while three were workers in the compound, according to the ministry.

Men were praying in the mosque when the bomber struck within their ranks. The debris of the blast appeared to show an explosive belt had been used, the spokesman said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

In May, two suicide bomb attacks on Shi'ite mosques in Saudi Arabia were claimed by Islamic State. The first on a mosque in Qatif in the east of the kingdom killed 21 worshippers, and another four died in a bombing a week later at a mosque in Dammam.

Another bombing claimed by Islamic State on a Shi'ite mosque in Kuwait in June killed 27 people.

The militant group, bitterly opposed to Gulf Arab rulers, is trying to stir sectarian confrontation on the Arabian peninsula to bring about the overthrow of the states' ruling dynasties.

It has urged young Saudi Sunnis in the kingdom to attack targets including Shi'ites. There was no immediate indication of the sectarian affiliation of the mosque in Thursday's bombing.

Obama White House Retweets 'Antisemitic' Site in Defense of Iran Deal

Naturally.

(INN) The White House is operating a Twitter account under the name @TheIranDeal to convince the public to support the recent nuclear agreement with Iran.

Yesterday @TheIranDeal shared a picture from Mondoweiss, claiming that critics who say the deal is not strict enough are mistaken.

Mondoweiss is a news blogging site that calls itself "anti-Zionist," but is often accused of stepping over the line into anti-Semitism. As legal expert David Bernstein explained in a Washington Post article, "Mondoweiss tries to preserve a fine line between hostility to Jews and hostility to Israel, but every once in a while, Weiss reminds us that the blog’s entire existence owes to the fact that he can’t maintain that separation."

Kerry: Iran deal "is as pro-Israel" as it gets, ditching it would be "the ultimate screwing" of Ayatollah Khamenei

(JPost) US Secretary of State John Kerry told The Atlantic on Wednesday that if Congress were to shoot down the Iran nuclear agreement, it would be "the ultimate screwing" of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Kerry made the remarks in an interview with The Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg.

The secretary rejected Israel's criticism of the nuclear agreement, saying that the deal "is as pro-Israel" as it gets.

The "ultimate screwing of the Ayatollah" would be pro-Israel. Paving the way to Iranian nukes is precisely the opposite. Secretary of State Bobblehead can have it one way or the other, not both.

Anjem Choudary, Britain's most high-profile Islamist cleric charged with ISIS support

Finally.

LONDON (Reuters) - Anjem Choudary, Britain's most high-profile Islamist preacher, well-known globally for praising the men responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States, was charged on Wednesday with inviting support for Islamic State (IS).

Choudary, 48, was accused of using lectures which were published online for encouraging support for the banned organization, which has seized swathes of territory in Syria and Iraq.

"Following an investigation by the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command, we have today authorized charges against Anjem Choudary and Mohammed Mizanur Rahman," said Sue Hemming, Head of Special Crime and Counter Terrorism at the Crown Prosecution Service.

"It is alleged that Anjem Choudary and Mohammed Rahman invited support for (IS) in individual lectures which were subsequently published online."

The two men are due to appear later on Wednesday at Westminster Magistrates Court in London.

Iran: U.S. Banned from Knowing Details of Iran Nuclear Inspection Agreement

Congress demands Obama release secret documents.

(WFB) Iran’s ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said the nuclear inspection organization is barred from revealing to the United States any details of deals it has inked with Tehran to inspect its contested nuclear program going forward, according to regional reports.

Recent disclosures by Iran indicate that the recently inked nuclear accord includes a series of side deals on critical inspections regimes that are neither public nor subject to review by the United States.

Reza Najafi, Iran’s ambassador and permanent envoy to the IAEA, stated over the weekend that no country is permitted to know the details of future inspections conducted by the IAEA. In addition, no U.S. inspectors will be permitted to enter Iran’s nuclear sites.

“The provisions of a deal to which the IAEA and a second country are parties are confidential and should not be divulged to any third country, and as Mr. Kerry discussed it in the Congress, even the U.S. government had not been informed about the deal between IAEA and Iran,” Najafi was quoted as saying by Iran’s Mehr News Agency.

More...

Obama mulling intervention in massive judgment against Palestinians in terror case

(Fox News) The Obama administration has signaled it may intervene next week in a civil lawsuit in which 11 American families won a potential billion-dollar judgment from the Palestinian leadership over a series of bombings and shootings that killed or wounded dozens of U.S. citizens, a move that critics say would find the government siding with terrorists over its own citizens.

The families won a $218.5 million judgment in February after a seven-week trial in Manhattan Federal Court in which a jury found the Palestine Liberation Organization and Palestinian Authority were responsible for a string of attacks from 2001 to 2004 that killed 33 and injured hundreds. A 1992 law that requires damages in such cases to be tripled, as well as interest on the award, would push it to as much as $1.1 billion. The judgment, which the Palestinians are appealing, would equal nearly a third of the Palestinian Authority’s annual operating budget.

Late last month, the Department of Justice, which had previously not been involved in the 11-year-old case, informed the court it was considering filing a “statement of interest” in the case by Aug. 10, but officials would not elaborate. A source said the Department of Justice was working with the State Department on the matter.

“As the filing states, the United States is considering whether to submit a Statement of Interest in the [Sokolow v. Palestine Liberation Organization] matter,” a DOJ spokeswoman told FoxNews.com. “Any filing would be made on behalf of the United States, not on behalf of any other party.”

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Nigerian Army Captures Boko Haram Commander, Frees 178 Hostages

#BREAKING: Nigerian Army Captures Boko Haram Commander, Freeing 180 Hostages -AFP pic.twitter.com/6pm4FheiVt

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) August 3, 2015

LAGOS (AFP) - The Nigerian army has freed 178 people being held hostage by Boko Haram jihadists including more than 100 children, it said late Sunday, as it carries out a regional offensive aimed at rooting out the insurgency.

"During the offensive operations, 178 people held captives by the terrorists were rescued, they include 101 children, 67 women and 10 men respectively," army spokesman Colonel Tukur Gusau said in a statement.

"In addition, one Boko Haram terrorists commander was captured alive and is presently undergoing investigation," he said.